As the end of the holiday season approaches, you may be wondering about the best way to dispose of your holiday tree. It is important to remove your tree from your home before it becomes too dry, since dry trees are much more likely to cause house fires.

Follow these simple steps to safely and easily dispose of your tree:

Remove all trimmings – Before disposing of your tree, it’s imperative to remove all decorations, including lights, ornaments, tinsel and any other trimmings. Returning the tree to its natural state is of utmost importance.

Cover the tree – Use a large plastic tree bag or a blanket to cover the tree before removing it from your home. This will help prevent any needles or sap from falling from the tree and damaging your hardwood floors and carpet. If needles have dropped on your hardwood floor, carefully remove them with a broom to avoid clogging your vacuum cleaner.

Check with waste management – Many local waste management companies provide curbside pickup for trees. If your waste management company offers this service, bring your tree to the curb in front of your home, making sure not to obstruct any roads, sidewalks or driveways. You may also want to confirm that there are no additional disposal instructions. To find the waste management company closest to you, click here.

Recycle your tree – If your local waste management company doesn’t provide curbside pickup, there is likely a nearby recycling center where you can bring your tree. Many centers will chip and shred your tree so it can be used as mulch or in erosion programs, providing environmental benefit.

I wish you and your family the very best for 2019. If purchasing a new home is one of your goals for the new year, call me today! I would love to discuss your finances and help you decide which home loan program is right for you.